The Kansas State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) comprehensive revision was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on Nov. 1, 2016. SWAP is a dynamic conservation tool for natural resource and land managers and other experts who are dedicated to conserving the state’s most vulnerable wildlife. The document identifies the state’s top priority species and habitats needing conservation, and it provides potential conservation actions that can address the threats these species and habitats face. Mandated by the USFWS, SWAP documents must be revised every 10 years. The state’s eligibility for receiving State Wildlife Grant (SWG) funds is dependent upon having an approved SWAP.

The revised plan considers many of the changes Kansas and its wildlife have experienced since the original plan was created. The most notable changes under the current revision were the inclusion of climate change and the development of Ecological Focus Areas, or geographically explicit areas identified as priority areas for future conservation. The plan also highlights past projects and success stories implemented through the SWG program since the original plan was developed.

The revision, coordinated by Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), was a collaborative and strategic effort that included conservation organizations, academic institutions and other stakeholders, as well as input from the public.